Trust Between Principals and Teachers Research Papers (original) (raw)

The roles of organizational and relational factors in regard to professional learning communities (PLCs) have been investigated by many, yet none have considered enabling school structures, trust, and collective efficacy as variables. We... more

The roles of organizational and relational factors in regard to professional learning communities (PLCs) have been investigated by many, yet none have considered enabling school structures, trust, and collective efficacy as variables. We take a deeper look at the formal or organizational aspects of the school represented by enabling school structures, and the relational aspects characterized by collegial trust, trust in principal, and collective efficacy. Our empirical findings demonstrate the importance of establishing enabling school structures as an antecedent of PLCs. It is essential that school leaders provide enabling school structures in the form of leadership opportunities, shared decision making, and a hierarchy that supports teachers performing their jobs more effectively, as well as promoting healthy collegial interaction for teachers. statement of Purpose Many studies have investigated the roles of organizational and re-lational factors in regard to professional learning communities (PLCs), however none have considered the role of enabling school structures, trust, and collective efficacy in the development of PLCs. We argue that there is enough research to date to give credence to the view that the formal aspects of the school, rules, regulations, and the hierarchy of authority that enable teachers to do their jobs, along with the informal aspects of the organization, such as collegial trust, trust in principal, and collective efficacy , are essential to the development and maintenance of PLCs. Furthermore , this study lends empirical data to support the explanatory framework. While the theory represents what we know, the empirical extends the knowledge to the real world and thus the practical. Although a relatively new concept, research about PLCs conducted by Hord, McLaughlin, Louis, Kruse, Bryk, and their colleagues demonstrates the positive influence this approach can have for teachers' sense of professionalism, participation in shared decision-making, and vision for the school, and trust in colleagues (